


A Simple Stroll

by Linorien



Series: 007 Fest 2018 [4]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond - All Media Types
Genre: pre-007 Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 08:06:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15166283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linorien/pseuds/Linorien
Summary: A simple training exercise to relieve some boredom.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: I think I need a story of Bond just walking through London on his way to a meetup or something very mundane for a spy

[ ](https://imgur.com/qiroHIK)

Agent Bond was not the biggest fan of enforced down time. He knew he probably didn’t need to set off that explosion or sleep with the girl at the end of his last mission, but hey, he got the job done, right?

And this was so much longer than shore leave. At least then he had things to do. He would catch up on the tv that he missed while at sea, he would stop in at a friend’s place if her was nearby, and he would hit the bars with the other sailors. 

But they didn’t quite have the same comradery in the 00-prospective ranks. They were all competing for the next free 00 numbers. 007 and 003 were on the table. There were nine perspectives. Sure you would still be an agent if you didn’t get promoted, but everyone knew it wasn’t the same. 

One of the trainers noticed his boredom and paired him up with a younger agent: Eve Moneypenny. He said to help her train to keep them both sharp.

So here he was, walking along Berkeley Street with Eve as a tail. He paused and looked at the menu posted outside the Sexy Fish. He hadn’t seen her yet. Which either means she lost him, or she was good. He hoped it was the later. 

Over roasted lobster or some Japanese whiskey sounded pretty good. But he had reservations elsewhere. So he made the appropriate thinking faces and turned away. 

He remembered having to do similar training exercises when he was recruited. They taught you to stick to a theme. His theme today was upscale tourist who was hungry.

Construction forced him to cross the street. He glanced at the window of the Berkeley Street Bar but didn’t slow down. Too common. Too much of a cafe. 

He didn’t even look at the Sainsbury’s.

Bond glanced both ways, checking for his tail as he looked both ways to cross the street. He didn’t see Eve’s curly head of hair sticking above the crowd. Perhaps she did her hair differently or wore a hat. Maybe she took off her heels. No, dying her hair blonde was more likely. Besides, she was tall even in flats. 

And now he was at the Ritz and he pushed open the door to escape the hustle and bustle or the summer crowds. Ah, nice cool air. He strode confidently to the desk. “Reservations for two under Bond, please.”

The hostess checked her sheet and found his name and table. Then she looked back up with a smile. “Both of you can follow me.”


	2. Chapter 2

Finally some real world training. Eve was tired of all the pre-planned routes and obstacle courses and shooting ranges. It was useful, sure, but it didn’t have the same thrill, give her the same heart thumping adrenaline rush.

Agent Bond, out of nowhere, asked if she wanted to practice her tailing skills. Of course she said yes. Everyone knew he was going to be he next 00 agent and she was determined to learn from the best. He told her to meet him at the Marble Arch station at 12:36 on Saturday and find him. 

So she did. She got there early of course. Scoped the place out though she knew it by heart. She found Agent Bond as soon as he walked off the train. If he saw her, he gave no sign. He simply strolled across the street and along the edge of Hyde Park. 

It was difficult in the park. She had to fight her childhood instinct to hide behind the trees, but instead pretend like coming for a walk was her own idea. She wondered what strategy he would use. Her own go to was window shopping for clothes and occasionally jewelry. That wasn’t hard to fake. But she didn’t know what Agent Bond did for fun. He seemed like the kind of man who had one place to buy clothes and that was it. Old family business or some rot. 

They turned off at Mount Street and it became clear that the theme was food. 

Not just any food, naturally, the pricey food.

Now Eve liked some good food just as much as the next gal, but her wallet was not as padded yet. So while Agent Bond paused to greet a friend at George’s, Eve looked in the window of Linda Farrow. Likewise she paused at Pret to contemplate a sandwich while he perused the menu of the Sexy Fish. Which was, to be fair, a damn good restaurant.

Eve continued her slouched walk, channeling her student years where she dressed above her station and still didn’t feel like she belonged. The tall gangly one in school who stood above the crowd. She hoped the different gait and the straightened hair beneath a light blue hat helped Bond to miss her with his roaming eye. 

Soon she figured out where he was heading. Deciding to take a risk, she crossed the street before he did and sped up to approach the Ritz from the other side. She saw him glance in the windows to look behind him, but missed her ahead. She slipped in the revolving door after Agent Bond. Quietly, she came up beside him as he told the hostess the reservation name. 

The hostess checked her sheet and found his name and table. Then she looked back up with a smile. “Both of you can follow me.”

He turned in surprise and she just smiled in return. Great real world training indeed.


End file.
